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Working forests work for all of us.

Pacific salmon, and the multiple rivers they inhabit, are
northwest icons. Throughout their life, salmon travel hundreds
of miles through the entire river system, from the headwaters to
the sea. We all share in the responsibility for protecting this
mountain-to-sea environment. Through the
Forests & Fish Law,
Washington’s private forest landowners apply
modern science and adaptive management
to protect fish habitat and clean water in the streams of our
working forests. However, successful salmon recovery takes all
parties across the landscape, doing their part to protect our
waterways.

Salmon Recovery: A shared responsibility across our landscape

Working Forests

Washington’s working forests are doing their part in
salmon recovery by making significant investments to protect
forested streams and remove blockages to fish passage.

Private forest landowners have invested over $170 million
to improve, replace or abandon forested roads to help
protect vital fish habitat.

Federal Lands

Half of our state is forested, and most of this land is
managed by the federal government. This includes national
parks, designated wilderness areas and U.S. Forest Service
lands.

Over the last five years, the
federal Legacy Roads program
has provided $20 million to improve 1,609 miles of roads
and fix 37 fish passage barriers.

There is more work to be done: The US Forest
Service estimates $250-$300 million will be needed for
road improvements and fish passages
in Washington State alone.

There are about 22,000 miles of
Forest Service roads,
once paid for by forest management activities. These
deteriorating roads cause environmental damage. A lack of
public funds makes it difficult to properly improve and
maintain these roads.

Private working forests are working for all of us.

Environmental protection or a healthy state economy? Washington’s private forest
landowners are successfully protecting our natural
environment and contributing to the state’s economy at the same time.
Environment and economy, jobs and sustainability.
Who says we have to choose one over the other?

Private Forestry: An Economic Engine

Every million board feet (mmbf) of timber harvested in 2017 supported 14 direct jobs paying more than $850,000 in wages. This harvest yielded $80,649 in tax revenues supporting local economies in Washington. Washington’s working forests produced 2,871 mmbf logs in 2017, enough wood to produce 365,000 homes.

Guided by Science

Adaptive Management is “learning by doing” – using the best available science to monitor and verify that forest practices are meeting the standards set by the Forest & Fish Law.

Results since 2001: 95 projects are listed in the workplan, 36 are complete, and 17 are ongoing. Five new projects are scheduled to start in the 2013-2014 budget cycle. Learn more »